Newbie - thinking about an allotment...

[Joeybug]

Hi,

I'm new here, I'm about to move into a new flat and am really taken by the idea of growing my own veg etc, but I'm not sure where to start! I'd love a little allotment but am concerned about costs and not sure what could grow. Does anyone have any advice about how much it costs to run an allotment, what time it'll need and what could grow well?

Any info would be gratefully received!

Thanks

Regards

Joey

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi JB and welcome to the Vine! you have certainly come to the right place. Everyone is VERY friendly and helpful - don't be afraid to ask any questions because there is a wealth of advice, tips and hints from everyone here! if you have a look on the Vine, there are lots of threads talking about getting a lottie and the advantages of doing so - have a quick search and see what you think, although no doubt you will get plenty of replies to your thread! DO keep in touch and let everyone know how you get on. Best wishes dexterdog

[sewer rat]

Hi Joeybug and welcome to the Madhouse
If you let us know what area you are in, there may be a grape who has local knowledge of allotment sites close to your locality- and keep checking the allotment finder thread - or put another post in there, specifying what area you are looking for an allotment - I'm sure that we have most of the country covered by now with grapes all over the place.
Good luck

[Mrs Dobby]

Hi Joeybug! Welcome to the 'Vine, the folks here are a great 'bunch'!! We just got our first allotment, cost here in Partington is £39 a year, plus £5 subs for the communal tearoom / cabin. Other than that costs is what you decide to spend! If you want a shed or greenhouse then your local freecycle is the best place to look (as its free!), or try ebay / small adds / local papers. If you want to do hard landscaping then it can cost for materials, other than that its cost of seeds, tools, fertiliser / weedkiller and your own time! Really it costs as little or as much s you want it to! For us, its gotta be as cheap as possible, but others on our site have spent over £600 on greenhouses and sheds, if thats what they want, then if they can afford it thats ok! For me keep it cheap!

There'a a couple of folks on our site who have an allotment as their garden, as they too live in flats and wanted an 'escape', so you arent alone in that respect! One couple have a lovely summerhouse and garden, complete with patio, flowerbeds, lawn and fencing, with a few veggies growing in raised beds outside the fence, very pretty and a lovely place to go over for a brew (they are really nice and welcome folks calling round!), whereas most of the other plots are given over to growing as much veg as possible, so I suppose it depends on exactly what you want from your plot as to how you choose to set it up! Anyhows, good luck with finding your plot and getting growing!

[nick the grief]

Hi JB welcome to the Vine,

Our lotties are £20/ year but if your not sure about it ask at your local site if they do half plots or maybe share with someone else who can't manage full one. You don't have to grow just veggies though, our old chairman had half of his as a lawn so his kids had somewhere to play as they had a small yard at home.